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Friday, December 07, 2012

Geography Quiz 3: Religious Persecution and Tolerance


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The above is the site of tragedy and triumph.  It, along with other sites like it, were the locations of what I feel was the biggest federal, state, and local religious persecution in the United States in the twentieth century.

The place is populated entirely by a Christian denomination.  They are currently found throughout the upper interior especially in the states of North and South Dakota.  They were once all located in the United States but government and public persecution forced all to flee to Canada.  It was only decades later that a sizable minority moved back to the United States.

Who are these people and why were they persecuted?  Leave your answer in the comments and see if you are right!

4 comments:

Twelve Mile Circle said...

I won't give away the surprise although I'll note that it's a pretty easy Google search and it's a fascinating story. I was unaware of this bit of history so thank you for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Our friends and neighbors in SD - the Hutterites

SD Mom

Catholicgauze said...

The correct answer is.................................. The Hutterites. The original Maxwell Colony in South Dakota was abandoned during World War I soon after two Hutterites were exhausted to death by military trainers who forced the pacifistic draftees to march until they fell. The original grave yard was plowed over by a farmer as protest against the German-speaking groups desire not to fight anyone including Imperial Germany.

Dina said...

Oi, the stories!